Dinner goes high-tech via 'sous vide'

Sur la table
Several days ago, I visited a wine shop and asked to see their chilled
selection. I was surprised, however, when I was told that I could have
any bottle chilled within 15 minutes. She indicated a waist-high metal
water bath in the corner, filled with a swirling pool of icy water.

Machines like this one operate on the principle of convection: an item
can be brought to the temperature of a surrounding medium (like air or
water) at a faster speed if the medium is moving over its surface. As
in the case of the wine shop water bath, some of these gadgets are
meant to work as super coolers. In many cases, as with some ovens and
microwaves, they are intended for even distribution of heat.

This Sous Vide ED Heating Immersion Circulator serves as an important
functional component of Sous Vide cooking, a method in which food is
sealed in an airtight plastic bag and immersed in a circulating bath
of warm water. It heats the water bath using a heating element, then
circulates the water, ensuring the the heat is dispersed evenly. This
particular immersion circulator is designed to fit any tank up to a
volume of 13.2 gallons, a depth of 6.5 inches, and a wall thickness of
up to 1 inch, meaning that it can easily be used either with an
existing tank or with a new one.

Unlike a saute pan, there are no hot spots in a tank that uses the
immersion circulator. The bright LED display allows for greater
cooking control than a pan as well, allowing you to set a target
temperature to an accuracy within 1 degree.

The Sous Vide ED Heating Immersion Circulator is available online
through Sur la table's Web site for $999.